San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-13
CHAPTER xIII.-LADY ELINoR.

wrapped from neau 10 IOOt III IufS, came In J.,
holding out both hands in a somewhat
gushing manner.
MY dear Mrs. Langley" she exclaimed,
al meant to have come earlier Pray for
give mer'
She half paused as her eyes went straight
to Valerie, who rose, tail and slender in
her flowing velvet gown, and Mrs. Lang.
ley saw clearly the admiration in her
friends eyes.
81 did not eXaggerate, did II" she said,
smiling, and speaking low; then aloud,
Don't apologize, Elinor. How good OF
you TO come such weather! You know who
this is'" leading her friend toward the fire
and indicating Valerie. Dear Valerie's
child. If YOU had ever known my sister
you would see the likeness"
Lady Elinor shook hands with Valerie,
hoped she would like town, etc, and sat
down in luxurious fduteIiL.
Ring the bell, Valerie dear, for some
more tea" said Mrs. Langley. Take off
that fur dolman, Elinor; it is too hot for
the room"
"Will you let me?" said Valerie, step
ping forward and Offering to unfasten the
cloak.
Lady Elinor looked up quickly into the
lovely face.
THANK you" she said courteously, "you
are very kindr' and the pretty fingers
quickly undid the faStenings and removed
the mantle; and Valerie returned to her
place, moving her chair back little, SC
that she was partially under the shadow OF
tall screen.
81 suppose Mr.. Beauregard does not
much care for being in town." observed
Mrs. Langley.
"Oh, mol he is so fond of the country
even in winter! So different from Max.
We heard from him yesterday, by the way"
Valerie's heart gave a sudden bound, but
she did not move.
Indeed! Good news, hope?"
"Oh no chance of his returning yet; but
otherwise good. A very short letter, writ
ten in his tent just before going into &C
ton" action, in which he might be
severely wounded-Valerie would not, even
to herself say "killedr-how could this
woman speak of it so lightlyD "He is as
well as possible-always is; the climate
doesn't trouble him, you know, and he
goes through everything unscathed. He
II he were at home. think he may very
likely get promotion
81 am sure I hope he will. Is Angela
coming to stay with you this winter"
Possibly; but papa doesn't like her to be
long away, and of course her duty is at
home"
"Of course!" assented Mrs. Langley, who
knew perfectly well that Angela Musgrave
was kept out of the way of handsome Max,
lest he should take it into his head to fall
in love with her; and as the Marquis of
Deepdene was a very poor peer, with
heavily encountered estate and an extrav-
agant elder son, Lady Angela must marry
money. The fiction of her constant attend
ance on father who was permanent in
valid served the double purpose Of being
convenient, and effective, and deceived
most people; but Constance Langley was
not so easily duped.
And Angela" continued Lady Elinor,
sis girl who loves solitude and books"
$50 should imagine, said Mrs. Lang
ley, without the faintest tinge of irony in
her voice, though there was much more
than tinge in her mind.
The tea created diversion from the dut
iful Lady Angela, and then the two ladies
went off into general talk about this per
son and that-all people in the grand
monde, and there was not little scandal
in the talk; to all of which Valerie listened
vaguely, and with a bewildering impress
sion that no one in London society seemed
to hesitate about pulling his or her friends
to pieces.
Lady ElinOr was worse than Mrs. Lang
lev, and this confirmed Valerie's mental
decision that Gerald Beauregard's wife was
mot nice woman" She was pretty, but
her lips were thin, and glided over the
teeth in an unpleasant way when she smil-
ed, her laugh was not genuine. and her
eyes did not look at you straight and clear
ly.
Suddenly Elinor turned to Valerie, and
asked her If the bennington ball was her
first.
Eyes, my first" the girl answered.
"And triumph. heard of you"
From Captain Beauregard2" suggested
Mrs. Langley,
"Oh, dear no! They sailed, you remem-
Der, the next day, and he has said nothing
in letters home; but Colonel -, of the
Blues, was there, and two or three other
people know. The fame Of beauty soon
spreads"
Somehow Valerie felt glad that Captain
Beauregard had not written about her,
especially to this woman, who aroused in
her a species of antagonism. Surely he
could not like her much!
She breathed a sigh of relief when Lady
ElinOr rose to depart. Was this the "con-
versation," she asked herself, that went on
at fashionable five oclocks? If so, it was
excessively dull and stupid. Poor Valerie
had much to learn!
The last post that night brought her an
other letter from Louis, who had apart
mepts-chambers he could not affOrd-in a
street on the fringe of Mayfair. Her heart
smote her as she saw the writing, for she
had not yet answered his last letter; but
she waited until she went to bed to open
the envelope.
Then, sitting by the blazing fire in her
dressing-room, she began to read.
Dearest, darling Valerie" he began.
For second her straight brows contracted;
she read few lines more, half reproachful,
wholly rhapsodical, and then the letter
dropped on her knee, and her eyes went to
the fire with a wistful, PARKWAY look.
Far away! tracing burning plains in the
glowing Goals, seeing the white tents I'M
der the pitiless sun, the white helmets and
scarlet and blue uniforms Of men moving
hither and thither, or lounging in the tent
doors; and one among them, yet somewhat
4 ~ !
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